Tales of Destiny Review

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(More customer reviews)I've played too many games to even remember most of em' and I decided to buy Tales of Destiny due to an urge to have a new RPG. I wasn't sure of what to expect, I thought it'd probably be some lame no name chance out ofnowhere like Tecmo's Secret of the Stars. But then I played it, now thisgame hit me pretty hard considdering what my idea of it was. I couldn'tstop playing, I played this unique battle system and the storyline until Icouldn't stay awake. I played this game for two and a half days streight. Ididn't even do this for Final Fantasy 7 or Suikoden, this is a game thatyou wanna play more and more of. very powerful plot indeed but the graphicswere certainly weak, I mean they were pretty bad(not as bad a Lunar SilverStar Story Complete's but still pretty weak.) However the music was thebest part about the game I think that it beat out any other game's music.Most games have their strongpoints and that's it. Xenogears has the bestplot I've ever seen. Suikoden has the best battle system I ever seen. FinalFantasy 8 has the best graphics I've ever seen.But Tales of Destiny havethem all balanced out(cept the graphics). I'd reccomend this game toanybody accept the people who only play a game for it's graphics. ~Seth~

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Tales of Destiny 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)I didn't think it was all that great at first because of the poor english voice actings, but once you really get into the game, it's no problem at all! The small faults wouldn't affect th game-play too deeply, and after all, fortunately, the voice acting gets better as you advance in the game. The voices do match the characters well, although.

Anyways, like I said, don't let the voices get to you, after all, it's an honest to goodness, excellent game!!! It's one of the most memorial ones I've played, even though I've been through many rpgs. Once you've completed the game, it'll have you thinking, "Why does it have to end!" Lol.

The main plot is quite alright, although it wasn't one of the strong points of this game. The character developement and the events that take place within the whole main plot makes up for it big time though. Although to repeat again, the main plot isn't that bad anyways.

The little morals and dialogues in the game are so touching. One of the strong points of this game.I found myself trying to stop tears when Meredy questions Reid what good memories really are. This game also brings a good point to discrimination.

The characters are simply brilliant. You get to really understand them and they're great. The character developement is great. In fact, this was what motivated me to write this review even though I'm not that sort of person, really. You'd think a 15 year old would have better things to do. But I thought I really should to put in my compliments for this game. And yeah, the characters are simply lovable.

The battle system is excellent. This game really sticks out from the rest of the rpgs how getting into battles can be also fun too, not like the others how you'd wish you could run away from all the annoying, boring battles. The voices in the battles aren't that bad, in fact, with the full awesome animation of swordsman techniques and spell casting for each character, simply excellent. The awesome battle music gets you going too.

The graphics of this game was pretty satisfactory I guess. Even though it's 2-d, it's still beautiful. I don't get what people were complaining about. After all, animes are 2-d. the backrounds have a nice, crisp look to it in my opinion.

The music wasn't that bad either. Even though the tunes weren't THAT catchy, it still has depth and feeling in it. It also has mood in it. I should know, I love music. Like Reid's hometown music, it has a homey, gentle feel to it. Oh yeah, and the battle music. Awesome. But not to be biased, I've played other rpgs too, and yeah, theirs isn't bad either. Still, the battle music for this game is GOOD.

Oh yeah, and not to forget about the mini games. They are fun. The game developers sure know what fun is. I've found myself playing Meredy's dancing thing over and over, trying to continously beat my own record. Lol.

The anime intro in this game was so cool!! It looks great. You should see it.

Anyways, I think I'm done. Ps. A very memorial game. I recommend it. Even for rpg haters. The battles system is so much better!

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Product Description:
This latest Tales centers on the realm of Eternia, a place where the surfaces of two worlds meet. Inferia is home to our heroes, and Celestia is the world of the skies above. Inferia is rich in academia, art, history, and culture. Celestia is inhabited by the uncivilized (by Inferian standards). A girl shrouded in mystery, finds her way to Inferia and crash-lands her spaceship in a nearby forest. Nothing is known of her except that she has come with a message of impending doom. Here, the adventure begins. Tales of Destiny II is a real-time action RPG that takes place within two massive worlds. Its engaging storyline presents a huge cast of characters, each with distinct personalities and abilities. Intriguing subworlds and countless minigames lie within this quest to provide over 60 hours of gameplay. Hundreds of arcane items, powerful spells, and enchanted weapons are at a player's disposal.

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Legend Of Legaia Review

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(More customer reviews)first of all, this was my first RPG ever. its the reason i got into them at all. i rented it and loved the graphics and gameplay, so i bought it. after playing other RPGs like ff8 and chrono trigger, i'd have to say thisisnt my favorite, but i still look back at it lovingly. the fight system isreally amazing. you punch in each individual blow for every character, thenwatch as it happens, or you select your ra-seru to summon a monster whoyou've already beaten to attack. the seru videos are beautiful and theattacks are useful. the absense of the active time bar is a little lazy,but it allows you to really think it all out. the story is pretty good andwhen you revive a genesis tree and that music kicks in, it's very touching.speaking of music, the legend of legaia soundtrack is very good. i've readin reviews that the music wasn't that good, but i thought it was great. theboss music is particularly good. the graphics are great too. the fightscenes are very bright and colorful. i really don't see how they fit it allon one disc, other than the absense of many cinema scenes. the level ofchallenge is also a plus. the last boss took me six tries,... SIX. i onlyhave a few complaints. first, there isn't very much room for exploration.in other RPG titles, some huge parts are optional and take place onsecluded islands. second, the characters aren't very deep. really the mostinteresting is songi. Vahn is just a grapic basically, because you chooseeverything he says, making you the character. also, its a little too hardto level up. overall though, it's a great game, and a good first RPG.

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Product Description:
A strange mist blankets the world of Legaia. It has brought madness andrage to all it touches. To survive, the people live on the outskirts ofcivilization. They thought they were safe from the Seru creatures, which havebeen changed into killers by the mist. Unfortunately, they were wrong. Still,there is hope. In the town of Rim Elm, a young man named Vahn has bonded with afood Seru. With the help of some new friends, Vahn sets off to restore the sevengenesis trees--the only hope left for Legaia.

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Kingdom Under Fire The Crusaders Review

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(More customer reviews)I bought Kingdom Under Fire/Crusaders on October 13, 2004.Overall, I found this game very fun, and very INTENSE.Below is a list of what I didn't enjoy, and what I did enjoy regarding the game.

Negatives:

1. The game needs a bird's eye view without the map.There are four views all together, two on a map (long/close-up), two in melee(mid/close-up).The game would be better if they had a third viewpoint where you could pull back the camera one step further without opening the map to see other units and manipulate them around the screen.This view could look something like a Warcraft/Command and Conquer View.The map does this to some extent, but it can become tedious manipulating the troops on the map on close-up mode. Another option would be the ability to split screens by units, so you could see what more than one of the military units is doing @ once.

2. The voices are pretty cheesy. In the future, phantagram should invest a little bit more in getting better voice actors who don't
sound embarassed to read their lines*
*This could also be viewed positively though

3.The game is lacking a bit in terms of varied gameplay. In the future, it would be ideal if we could customize our own characters, as opposed to choosing one of four templates.Additionally, it would be nice if there could be co-op modes - like in lord of the rings - return of the king or head to head modes outside of xbox live.

Positives:

1.Graphics - This game has amazing graphics that take full advantage of the XBox Platform.

2.The cheesy voices - People who take wars between fictional medieval soldiers and orcs and dark elves too seriously need to get a life.This video game has somewhat of a kill bill/B-movie quality to it, in that there are excessive amounts of blood and gore, bad language, and dark elf females fighting in thongs.The terrible voiceovers are a finishing touch to this sort of craziness.*
*This could also be viewed as a negative

3.Challenging gameplay - This is not the sort of video game which you can start and play the whole way through without ever losing. What I enjoy about it is that as your units/characters get better, you also get better as a video gamer.For example, a newbie couldn't just take your saved game from let's say the 20th mission, and just play as him. He'd die immediately b/c the missions get progressively harder with time, and in order to proceed to further missions, one needs to become a better video gamer.

4.Intense and complex battle sequences/combat.Fighting Melee Combat - Dynasty Warriors/LOTR style, while commanding your units - Command and Conquer/Warcraft style, while taking into account unconventional things such as terrain, sun, weather conditions, etc. all require extreme concentration.To the observer though, your battles will have the same sort of chaos/intensity as the battle scenes in Braveheart, especially as you shift from view to view.It's extremely satisfying to fight hand-to-hand combat with your character against an enemy and to see people dropping to the ground because of your archers, while your cavalry comes from behind and flanks them.That's only an example of three of the many units that you can fight with.This game reinvents the real-time strategy genre, taking elements from Dynasty Warriors, LOTR video game series, Myth, Warcraft, and Command and Conquer, by molding them all into one video game and taking the genre to the next level.This game's very ambitious and it works.

Although the game does have it's flaws, I do not feel that they are overly significant or that they detract too much from the game itself. One can accustom oneself to fighting using the map within a relatively short time, and even though you cannot customize your characters or go coop there are still 4 characters with over 60 missions.

On a scale of 100, I would give the game a 96.Even though it misses a few minute things, it gets the major and main things right.This game has the potential to bring real-time strategy (usually associated with PCs up to this point) to the video game console in the same way that Goldeneye brought first person shooters to the video game console.

I feel that this game will beocme a sleeper hit, and that they will make a really awesome sequel which corrects all of the minor flaws in this version if they take into account people's suggestions.

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Product Description:
Kingdom Under Fire: The Crusaders challenges you to lead a massive army in pursuit of the ultimate power. Experience chaotic medieval battle on epic scale, as you command hundreds of warriors all risking their lives for final victory. Fifty years have passed since the Second Great War of Heroes -- in that time, a powerful artifact called the Ancient Heart disappeared. In the town where it was last seen, orcs have invaded, leading to a new war, with new goals and objectives... And new choices for glory. Dynamic game direction make you feel like you're watching an epic film -Multiple camera angles, real soldiers' expressions of pain, victory and defeat, and much moreReal-time ranking update system New Mission Downloads possible through Xbox Live

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Digimon World 3 Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a game is good but has a few flaws. I like this, it is the best Digimon game yet. The game flaw is the YOU CAN ONLY GET EIGHT ROOKIE DIGIMON, so people who like Gabumon will see him but will not get him as a partner.Also every rookie Digimom can change into one another. EX: Argumon can become Metal Garurumon and War Greymon. At the beginning of the game Agumon, Gilamon, and a bear Digimon are chased by a spider like Digimon. For those Digimon fans that don't know who this is. This is really one of DIABOROMON forms that shows up in DIABOROMON STRIKES BACK. This game is full of Digimon that were in Japanese movies that have not come out in the USA. That is a reason I like this game. Also in the game you can Digivolve or DNA Digivolve during Battle. This game is grate but it's hard because you have to go on journeys to battle some or all town leaders, I have not gotten that far yet because I kept fighting strong wild Digimon so when I started the on the Journey for real, my Digimon's levels were at 22 each. Don't do this unless you have a lot of patience that is why I like this. Also at the being of the game you see Argumon but you never see War Greymon, Metal Greymon, or Greymon all Agumon does is run.

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Product Description:
Hackers have cracked into Digimon Online--can you stop their plans for world domination and save all of mankind? This game features your favorite Digimon from all three seasons of the Digimon: Digital Monsters television show. Twenty original Digimon are brought to life in a story line that crosses between the real and digital worlds. You will watch your Digimon grow as you train them in the Digital World. You can input special codes to get rare items, customize your Digimon troops, and choose when to digivolve during battles for strategic superiority.

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Knight Rider Review

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(More customer reviews)It's not often that I get excited about games. And KR is no exception. Though I'm a terribly huge fan of the show (I actually installed a KITT-like scanner on my car), I had a feeling that this game would be only so-so from what I've seen.The demo was okay, involving a simple chase-the-helicopter exercise.But I have to admit; the opening was fantastic - almost just like the show.You'll swear some of that footage is real, not computer-generated!
I changed my mind once my cousin brought a European version back on his visit. If you're a fan of the show, you'll really enjoy this game. You've got KITT in all of his glory, equipped with Turbo Boost, Ski Mode (allows you to pull two-wheelers), the all-purpose scanner, and my personal favorite, Super Pursuit Mode.
KITT is actually pretty functional (aside from his awesome) gadgetry. He's quick to speed, and he's a dream to control as you might expect for a multi-million dollar dream car. He retains his solid performance even on turf and dirt roads (0 to 60 in 3.7 seconds!). You can pull those famous reverse-180 turns in a snap, or do doughnuts on a dime. And his stopping power is superb. He's not terribly fast at first, topping out in the mid-120s. But the sense of speed is there. Especially when you hit Turbo Boost; the screen stretches as you're pushed back into yours seat to squeeze out a bit more speed - a very cool effect.And what about Super Pursuit Mode?KITT morphs beautifully and fluidly, just like the show.The screen stretches and tints red as you're hit with high G-forces, thrusting KITT just below 200 mph.More thrilling than Fast and the Furious!Extra, extra kudos! Sorry, no air rams when you stop hard in SPM mode.I guess Bonnie improved his ABS.His outer shell makes him nearly impervious to impact, but not totally invincible to explosives (and strangely, not to other vehicles).But this IS the Knight Industry Two Thousand.And he is grand.
In this game, you are KITT, not Michael Knight. So you essentially do nothing but drive. But the gameplay is varied enough (as with the locations), ranging from stop the super-car bad guy to snooping around crime scenes. It's all mission-based, requiring you to start off in basic training to prove your road-worthiness, and then it's off to declare justice for the Foundation for Law and Government. However, I don't understand why there would be mines along an old town street . . . Guess the locals don't like tourists. Although this game is short, there IS some replay value. Knight Rider is one of those games that just begs to be played again and again. However, once you've been through it two or three times, you'll probably want to give it a rest.
As for the difficulty of this game, it does get a little tricky - and it's especially challenging if you play it on hard mode, which is absolutely unforgiving. Normal mode is prime, as it delivers the right challenge without totally punishing you should you fishtail out of a Turbo Boost landing.
You'll see a lot of familiar faces, a la Bonnie and Devon - and including the return of Garth, Goliath, and KARR. Yes, they're back, and it's up to you to show 'em who's the top auto on the road.
For the most part, the voice work in this game is peachy, if a little under-acted at times. Every character is voice-doubled (sorry, no Mr. Feeney), but they do a remarkable job of bringing the original cast to life. Michael's character sounds like his boyish and clever self, while KITT's double is soothing and witty, almost indistinguishable form William Daniels (though the KITT double has a strong American accent, so those hard "r" sounds give him away). Devon is spot-on; Bonnie, much less so. I'm disappointed with her performance, as she reads her lines with little enthusiasm. But Garth is entertaining (for the few lines he has).
Sound-wise, this game gets the job done.Turbo Boost is captured right out of the show, as well as all the phone-tone style button sounds. And KITT's scanner? Perfectly translated into the game. KITT himself, however, is another story. Apparently, KITT only has a single gear transmission, so there's no shifting required - which makes for a rather dull listening experience. And they didn't quite replicate KITT's engine sound, as he sounds more like a jet plane rather than an enhanced road car.The music is all created in-house, and has that 80's action flare to it.Not bad, but a touch forgettable.The techno remix of the main theme is cool, though.
Graphically, this game is no eyesore, but not a real head-turner at a glance. Of course KITT being the star, he gets the full treatment. He's almost perfect from bumper to bumper. His interior, not nearly as detailed as I'd like as you only see the speedometer and the corresponding gauges for your shields, Boost, and Pursuit. The environments are well enough - especially the warehouse mission. But to experience the entire graphical splendor, you'll need a mean machine to run it effectively - and I'm talking near-top-of-the-line if you don't want any breaks in the frame rate on those later levels.
All in all, this game is made by fans, for the fans. I can't really see a lot of incentive for the casual gamer to pick this one up - especially if they have the new rendition of Spy Hunter. However, I believe that Knight Rider successfully captures the essence of the show despite its lack of the real cast. You finally get to be the REAL KITT, and it's guaranteed to bring back the memories of you wishing you had that talking black Trans Am in your garage.
If you're a fan, buy it. Can't beat it for this price. If you're not a fan, move along.

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Star Ocean: The Second Story Review

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(More customer reviews)After the linear-style of Final Fantasy and other similar RPGs (Which I love BTW), I found Star Ocean 2 a wonderfully refreshing experience. There are just so many options - starting from the beginning, you can choose yourmain character, which other characters you want and take it from there,eventually leading to one out of 86 different endings. It's true that theendings stem mainly from the different combinations of characters that gettogether in the end...but 86! What other game can boast so much replayvalue?
The item creation system is very unique - cooking, art, machinery,authoring, customising...it's all within your power. You choose the skillsand specialities the characters learn. They write books for the othercharacters to read, make better weapons, compose music and create delicious(or not so delicious) dishes. They can even combine their skills to makesuper specialities, which allow you to get better at cooking, publishing,etc, and my favourite - where all the characters sincerely call Barney, agiant white rabbit to cart you around the countryside. Hilarious.
Thegraphics IMO are pretty good. The 3D backgrounds are lovingly rendered,even including really cool minor details like your reflection on a pond orin a mirror. Nice. The characters themselves are 2D sprites, which looksbetter than it sounds - no hassles with fuzzy polygons or anything likethat. And Links has done a fine job (as usual) on the FMV - great eyecandy.
The battle system allows you to take a much more active role incombat situations. In active mode, you basically dash around and try tokonk the enemy without them hitting you. Fighting characters have Killermoves, which are special attacks that are assigned to the L1 and R1buttons. They look cool and wreak havoc on the battle field. For magicusers, the spell animation is nice too, and there is the interestingpossibility of combining spells by casting them at the same time, which canlead to greater damage if done properly.
If I do have any complaints,they are generally not the fault of the game, rather the people who weresupposed to be checking for bugs. Firstly it crashes - no game has evercrashed on me like this one. So save a lot. And there are little things,like the character voices getting mixed up - it is so funny to hear Precisyelling 'Parabola Beam! ' while Claude is doing Mirror Slice, and thewrong word appearing for spells. I guess I'm nitpicking.
As for the gameitself, I find some of the character's voices rather irritating. But that'sa personal thing. The music _is_ rather repetitive...they play the sametracks over and over, but even so, they still sound nice.
[I do have onelarge complaint, and this is that I had to import the game to play it,since it hasn't been released in Australia and doesn't look likely in thenear future. There _are_ serious RPG players here and it would be great ifthe distribution companies recognised that.]
Star Ocean 2 is a reallygood game, offering so much - a great battle system, memorable characters,beautiful graphics and a pretty darn good story. A must for any RPG fan.

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Icewind Dale II Review

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(More customer reviews)I have played both Baldur's Gate games, Planescape: Torment, and the Icewind Dale series extensively. While these games all share the Infinity engine, I was never truly absorbed by Torment or the Baldur's Gate games the way I have been with Icewind Dale 1 and 2. All were splendid games, but Icewind Dale offers a feature that sets it victoriously apart from its kin - it allows you to create a PARTY of adventurers, not just a single hero. I joyously spend hours crafting my party before leaping headlong into the game itself, where the fun only continues. Icewind Dale is everything that Diablo is NOT, despite both games' reliance on open battle. Where Diablo is a clickfest to see who drops first, Icewind Dale requires tactics and strategy amidst the chaos (and gives you a pause feature to simulate a kind of turn-based, thought-provoking play style). Despite the action, very little about Icewind Dale II (or Icewind Dale) can be called "dumbed down," save perhaps for the linear nature of the campaign - which I, for one, embrace, as I loathe errand boy quests that seem unimportant to the storytelling. Icewind Dale II is pure gaming goodness in a tasty D&D shell, and anyone who likes the sound of that should not hesitate to play this game... not even for a second.

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Product Description:
A Baldur's Gate Engine AdventureProduct InformationReturn to the frigid north of the Forgotten Realms in the sequel tothe critically acclaimed Icewind Dale. Building upon the successes of theInfinity Engine used to power the Baldur's Gate series and Planescape: TORMENTBlack Isle Studios continues to refine the classic RPG gaming experience.The worst fear of the civilized realms has come true. The Goblinoids have unitedinto an army of outcasts and misfits and they want to call the Ten Towns theirown. Massive swarms of Orcs and Worg-mounted Goblins are attempting to overrunthe town of Targos and that's just the beginning! A call has gone out to allthose willing to face insurmountable odds in defense of the Ten Towns. Will you heed the call to arms and face the greatest threat to the Spine of theWorld?New FeaturesA variety of new character classes like the Barbarian Sorcerer and theMonk.New Player Character Races and Subraces like the Half-Orc Drow Tieflingand others each with their own special abilities.New Priest Druid and Wizard SpellsNew Random Treasure generator for enemiesNew Player Character PortraitsNew Player Character Sound SetsProduct FeaturesNew 3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons Classes:The Barbarian - A merciless warrior of the northcall upon your greater strength speed and rage to carve a path throughyour enemies.The Monk - A master of hand-to-hand combat andunarmed in battle the power of wisdom is your greatest weapon.The Sorcerer - A natural spell caster tainted bythe blood of dragons draw upon the raw power within to defeat youradversaries.Character Races:New character races like the Drow and Aasimar addto an extensive array of character options.3rd Edition Dungeons & Dragons Feats andSkills such as Lightening Reflexes and Alchemy extend charactercustomization.Take up a battle axe in each hand and clea

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Thousand Arms Review

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(More customer reviews)Thousand Arms is in my opinion the best RPG to date on the Playstation console.It has a light spirit but a deep plot.This game is filled with subtle jokes.It will keep you and your friends playing for the entireweekend. (Forget about that homework!) Thousand Arms is not that difficultbut it will certainly challenge in some areas.
The only complaint that Ihave about this game is the random battle system.Although almost everyRPG has this I wish they would do something new.For example when in acertain dungeon while trying to explore one will keep on continuallyrunning into random monsters.This gets very repetetive.
The graphicsare excelent with some of the best anime every seen on the playstation. This game actually has voice acting although Metal Gear Solid still beatsit in this area. This is the only game I have seen on the Playstation wherethe graphics do not continually shimmer and a another small thing I noticedis that this is the first time a game has actaully done trees right!
Allin all Thousand Arms is a great game for anyone!

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Wild Arms 2 Review

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(More customer reviews)Wild Arms 2 in my opinion was an overall great role playing game that I really enjoyed.I've played lots of other RPG's but this one is one the best i"ve plyed in a while. Its battle system is easy to catch on tojust like any other RPG such as Final Fantasy 8 or the first WILD ARMSgame. This game also has some great characters the each have some coolspecial abilities that seperate them from each other. WILD ARMS 2 also hasa great story line to compete with all the other well known RPG's out thesedays. And thats my review of WILD ARMS 2.

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Product Description:

Return to the world of Filgaia, where you'll follow the rich story of three protagonists: Ashley, Liluka, and Brad. Ashley is a gun fighter with intimate knowledge of ancient technology.

Liluka, a sorceress, is sweet and innocent but packs a powerful parasol that easily dispatches enemies. Brad, a pensive ex-soldier, roams Filgaia with a rifle and a rocket launcher.

Wild Arms: Second Ignition is a sequel, but you needn't have played the first to understand it. This role-playing game features all new characters and is packed with quests, side quests, and plenty of battles.

The world of Filgaia is rendered in 3-D, and you can rotate the field map to help find traps and treasures hidden within the landscape. Also, the game allows you to avoid fights whenever you want, so you'll have the strategic benefit of picking your battles.

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Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria Review

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(More customer reviews)My experience with developer tri-ace's games dates back to the original Playstation era with Star Ocean:The 2nd Story. Like most gamers on this side of the world, this was probably the one of the first tri-ace titles that had and created enough of a buzz to form a niche of fans. The other game, which is credited with a simular yet even bigger buzz, was the original Valkyrie Profile.

Unfortunately, the yield from the initial pressing run of that game was so low (so tri-ace wouldn't lose to much if the game didn't sell or catch on) by the time I had heard the hype surrounding VP and wanted to give the game a try it was much too late... copies of the game were selling at astronomical prices on e-bay much like how sealed copies of Final Fantasy VII are selling now. Because of this I was ecstatic when a sequel - which in this case is actually a prequel - was announced so I could finally experience what I had missed out on the first time in one form or another. Granted, VP2 is not a complete carbon copy of the original, but the majority of the gameplay elements cross the game/generation gap, so in essence this game should probably give you an idea of what the original itself was like.

So, would I say that I was blown away or impressed by what I missed out with missing the original VP? Not really.

To start with, the game is simply beautiful. There are some dazzling effects, from leaves and grass waving in the breeze to various types of weather pounding some of the locals. This is what one should expect from a last generation PS2 title. Sure, every once in a while the battle camera might clip some polygons so it looks like your characters are standing on air, but that is so minor it doesn't matter. The only gripe I have is I wish the characters weapons changed depending on what they currently have equipped. However, since the character designs are so dependant on the default look of the weaponry, the above simply wouldn't work very well.

Combat is Valkyrie's claim to fame, much like it is in other tri-ace games like Star Ocean. This is a good thing, considering the amount of time you'll spend in battle mode leveling up the game's massive number of characters (of which only a handful are actually involved in the story, the others just seem to be there). At a quick glance, the battle system seems to be a button mashers dream, but like a good 3D fighting series (Soul Caliber or Tekken) those who know what their doing will always get further or have less difficulty as things can be difficult enough. Other combat related issues also sprout up: reviving an ally requires you to be near the ally's body and status effects are so not your friend - especially when the whole party is inflicted at once (especially with poison) *shutter* .

As fun as combat is, there are quite a few hitches to be aware of, such as wasting AP on a dash and getting nowhere because your party is caught on the edge of "something" in the environment or when party members become separated for the same reason, limiting your attack options until you take the time and go back and get them. This becomes especially aggravating when you're trying to finish battles as quickly and efficiently as possible to receive experience and crystal bonuses. The change from a 2D fighting environment in VP to a 3D one in VP2 works, but the above issues make you yearn for 2D battles of the original which would probably be devoid of these problems.

The game's skill system is another area that initially seems interesting and clever but quickly becomes quite cumbersome. You'll form rune words with your equipment and accessories to unlock new "potential" skills. Note the word "potential" in the previous sentence. Unlocking a new skill doesn't grant the character the skill automatically - only though battle can the skill be used and permanently learned. At first glance this is a good thing since it prevents abuse (think FFIX skill system here), but the player then quickly finds out it "may" (well, usually) take a long to learn said skill. Instead of being awarded a set amount of points towards your skills after an enemy defeat like in most normal RPGs, a percentage earned towards potential skills based on the average level of your current party and that of the enemy(s). Because of this you'll constantly be seeking out stronger and stronger enemies and you'll hardly ever find an "undeniable great place" to level up. You'll also be contending with the never ending equipping and unequipping of equipment while doing this and often means your party is usually far from wearing the strongest available equipment at all times - something that is usually a given in most RPGs.

Traversing dungeons is probably the most noteworthy aspect of VP2 after the battle system. The first few are a complete cakewalk and teach you the ropes, the later ones can really test you sanity and your brainpower. Correct sealstone usage and photon know-how go a long way towards completely clearing them of all their contents. Kudos to tri-ace for the awesome auto map feature - features like this need to become an industry/genre standard!

In the sound department, Motoi Sakuraba makes a rather subdued yet solid entrance, seeming to ditch his rather unique yet unorthodox style of composing. It's not until much later until you hear a piece and you know "yeah, that's Sakuraba, no doubt". The voice-overs are good, but at the same time just a few tiers above decent.

Valkyrie Profile 2 also falls victim to problems that are prevalent in other tri-ace games. Some moments of unbalanced gameplay creep up on the player as the difficulty goes up a few notches without much warning. The story is once again slow to start (is this even a surprise anymore with tri-ace games?), and some of the story twists you can see coming a mile away (the one revelation at the end of Chapter 3 was so freaking obvious!).

All this said is Valkyrie Profile 2 worth playing if you've never experienced VP? Yes. However, now having experienced it, I honestly think I could have had waited for a price drop instead of buying it on day it came out. Despite this, I still look forward to playing the re-release of the original on the PSP.

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Product Description:
Valkyrie Profile 2: Silmeria tells the story of another valkyrie sister that takes place hundreds of years before Valkyrie Profile: Lenneth. In this latest installment of the legendary RPG series, divine insurrection besieges the heavens. Invoking his power as king of the gods, Odin hastily reincarnates the spirit of rebel valkyrie Silmeria into Alicia, Princess of Dipan. However, unbeknownst to Odin, the spirit of the battle maiden awakens within Alicia, still seeking vengeance. Believing his daughter to be possessed, King Barbarossa of Dipan declares Alicia dead and exiles her to a faraway castle. Odin learns of Silmeria's awakening and dispatches the imperious Hrist Valkyrie to summon her spirit to Valhalla. Alicia runs in fear -- and Silmeria in defiance -- as they embark on a journey where nothing is what it seems and all hide behind a mask.

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Black & White Expansion: Creature Isle Review

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(More customer reviews)If you have gotten to at least Land 3 in the original B&W, this expansion won't dissapoint you. It is really creative, and I like te new creatures (Rhino, Chicken, Alligator). The trials are pretty fun, yet some of them are quite annoying. The biggest problem with this game is that it won't upgrade your original Black and White. This Really ticked me off, cuz I was hoping to beat the game with an alligator. However, like I said before, it's still really fun until you've beaten it.

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Product Description:
Reprise your role as a good or evil god and expand the power of your Creature in Black & White: Creature Isle, the highly anticipated expansion pack to the bestselling, critically acclaimed PC game Black & White.
When the missionaries from your land of Eden wreck on the coast of Creature Isle, you and your Creature are suddenly called forth through the vortex to encounter the Brotherhood of Creatures, a collective of giants without deities. Explore new lands and win the worship of new tribes to expand your godly powers beyond your wildest dreams. Raise your Creature to new heights and teach him all-new abilities as he completes the trials of the Brotherhood. In addition, your Creature gains an apprentice to raise as his own, and falls in love for the first time with the beautiful Eve. Only by successfully completing the challenges imposed by the Brotherhood and defeating their leader can you and your Creature become the supreme rulers of Creature Isle.
Features:

Two new creatures: Choose the sharp-toothed Crocodile, the mighty horned Rhinoceros, or any of the Creatures from the original game to act as your representative on Creature Island.
An apprentice for your Creature: Your Creature gains an apprentice and a pet as it is tasked with the care of the little tyke. Teach it well and it will help your Creature grow in power.
Fall in love with the Creature of your dreams: Your Creature falls head-over-heels for the beautiful Eve and must win her favor by completingher labors of love.
Two new islands to explore: Set off with your Creature to explore the many wonders of Creature Isle and Graduation Island.
New Creature skills: Teach your Creature a variety of new skills, including bowling, building, and playing soccer.
Learn new miracles: Learn a host of new miracles, including speed and the defensive Cancel Creature miracle.
New Creature trials: In order to gain acceptance into the Brotherhood of Creatures, your very own colossus must pass a series of challenges, including Creature racing, dojo combat, herding, and king of the castle.

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Jade Cocoon Review

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(More customer reviews)This is one great RPG, I recomend it to anyone who likes the old style RPG's with the elemental powers. There is something new in this one though, not only is there text but speach as well. The graphics are really good,and all over is a great game. Its even more fun if you have a friend thatowns the game as well. It took me 18 hours to beat, though you might thinkthat is a little short there is a forest with more powerful monsters. Ifyou liked Pokemon you will probably like this as well. You can catch, trainand even merge monsters. The merging is really neat, you can make a wealthof new monsters. If a friend has the game than you can fight your friendwith which adds many hours of time. The plot is great, and the magic powersare really cool. One of the other great things about this game is that notonly can your monsters fight, but so can you! Overall a great game buy it,now!

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Heroes Of Might and Magic V Limited Edition (DVD-Rom) Review

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(More customer reviews)This game is superb.Great graphics, good story line, gorgeous CGI and in-game cut scenes, outstanding soundtrack, the list goes on.However, the Limited Edition is not so limited.The soundtrack for the game comes on a DVD, which as far as I know can only be listened to through the TV and DVD player.The disc also contains some interesting and entertaining artwork and game movies.I was unhappy that the soundtrack was included on the DVD and not a seperate CD.The rest of the DVD is nice though.The previous editions of HOMM, 3 and 4, are included on a single disc, which is great.However, no manual or monster chart or anything is included.Nothing else of the sort is included in the Limited Edition for HOMM 5 either.Unless this is a must have, stay with the regular edition.But by all means, get some form of this game as soon as you can!You will not be disappointed!

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Product Description:
Platform:WINDOWS 2000/XPPublisher:UBI SOFTPackaging:RETAIL BOXRating:TEENThis special limited edition version includes:Heroes of Might and magic V on DVD-ROM (also includes printed manual)Heroes of Might and Magic III and IV on DVD-ROM (XP Compliant)Official SoundtrackOfficial artwork and IllustrationsExclusive ScreensHeroes of Might and Magic V Features:The Heroes franchise enters a new era. Dive into the new groundbreaking Might and Magic universe for the most complete strategy gaming experience ever created. Cutting-edge technology: For the first time experience the world of Might & Magic in a full breathtaking 3D animated world supported by a consistent and modern graphic style. Deep scalable turn-based battle system for challenging and tactical combats: Immerse yourself in the combat system that made the success of the Heroes series or experience the brand new Dynamic Battle System. Choose from over 200 skills 170 creatures' abilities and 40 spells to build up your heroes and their armies. New darker heroic fantasy universe: discover a completely revamped and more mature universe that features 6 unique factions and over 80 different creatures. Live the adventure like never before through a gripping storyline that features special objectives numerous side quests and plot twists. System Requirements:PC Processor Type: Intel Pentium4 processor AMD Athlonprocessor PC Processor Speed: 1.5GHz PC Operating System: Windows 2000 Windows XP PC System Memory: 512MB RAM PC Hard Drive Space: 2GB PC Video: 64MB DirectX 9-compliant video card PC Sound Card: DirectX 9-compliant sound card PC Drive Type: and Speed DVD-ROM 4x PC Modem: Cable Modem DSL PC Additional Requirements: Internet service required to access online features

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Lufia II: Rise of the Sinistrals Review

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(More customer reviews)This game, in my childhood, was the beacon of wakefullness.I would awaken at 3:30 AM to play for four hours straight until I went to school where I would think about its greatness until I came home, only to play for another few hours.This perfectly describes its pull and incredible execution.The battle system was markedly improved over its limping predecessor, and the storyline served compulsion to the very end.This was a prequel of sorts to Lufia 1, and what a brilliant story it is.I wouldn't want to ruin the story for any prospective buyer, so I won't divulge any details, but take my humble word for it--this game is very worth your money and should be a part of anybody RPG lovers library.

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Product Description:
Lufia II is a prequel to the first Lufia game, Lufia and the Fortress of Doom. It follows the story of the first main character's ancestor, Maxim, and explains the origins of the war between mankind and a group of superhumans called Sinistrals.The story is centered around the hero Maxim, a swordsman from the town of Elcid who is born with a natural ability to fight and is destined to destroy the Sinistrals. Throughout his journey, he meets other warriors who are able to confront the Sinistrals as well. The game is a prequel to Lufia & the Fortress of Doom, set ninety-nine years before it, telling the story of how the Sinistrals first appeared in the world and the battles fought against them.Lufia II made a number of changes from the first game. Dungeons no longer have random encounters and there are hundreds of puzzles throughout the game, ranging from simple to extremely challenging. It also introduced new skills, such as a variety of weapons that could be used to stun monsters or solve puzzles, and IP attacks.

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Fallout 1 / Fallout 2 Bundle (Jewel Case) Review

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(More customer reviews)I just finished both games, and I highly recommend this bundle set to anyone who likes (1) RPG games, (2) Post-apocalyptic themed anythings, (3) games that don't make you do anything or (4) science fiction in general.The basic premise of both games, as recounted by numerous previous reviews, is that you have to make it in a world defined by the typical nuclear fallout (ahem) disaster.However, there are so many ways to make it, and they're all such fun, that these games should appeal to most people.Fallout 1 is a shorter game but in many ways is more elegant; if you play it conscientiously you'll have a feeling of satisfaction at the end for having seen and done most of it.Fallout 2 is much larger in scope and in time commitment, and unfortunately suffers a bit from it.. there are more bugs, more 'dead' items and quests that were intended to have some purpose in the game but never did, and so on.Some could argue this, in fact, merely adds to the gritty reality of a game where everything doesn't end up in a neat little package at the end, and there aren't answers to all the questions.Or maybe the programming staff was just overworked.In any event, the games are addictive and reward curiosity.High points:
1)Emphasis on character development.A karma counter keeps track of your overall good/badness, and as you progress you are offered various 'Perks' that enhance or define your character, such as Salesman or Demolition Expert or Kama Sutra Master.Others you earn through gameplay itself.Multiple avenues of play exist for any type of character..while your first character in both games is probably going to emphasize gunplay and high Agility, later on you can try a diplomatic or manipulative or pure thieving character as you see fit, and play what amounts to an almost completely different game.
2)So many explosions.These games have lots of fighting, on a turn-based system allowing for micromanagement of both yourself and your 'friendly' NPCs.Use burst fire to take out packs of charging wolves, aim your scoped hunting rifle at someone's leg to keep them from chasing you, send a rocket down a corridor into a pack of unsuspecting guards.It's all there..and the death animations are not for the faint of heart.
A few negatives:
1)As is typical in RPGs, making 'bad' or 'evil' decisions or dialogue choices tends to screw you.If you want, just pretend your evil character secretly enjoys the hypocrisy of agreeing to rescue someone's orphaned kitten with a boo-boo on its paw; it would be nice someday if RPGs rewarded evil characters for doing evil things.
2)Armor.Basically the goal of both games is to get your first suit of Power Armor.This transforms both games from a grueling, constantly-reloading ordeal of random accidental deaths and burst-fire horrors to a breeze.This, of course, makes perfect sense...once you're a walking tank, most things bounce off.However (although Fallout 2 handles this a bit better) there is very little middle ground..even with Combat Armor II (the next step down) you get mauled a lot.
3)Uncontrolled NPCs.Sure, by definition you shouldn't be able to control an NPC, but it can get truly annoying when one of your NPCs blasts something, and then moves 1 space directly in front of your other NPC for no reason, and then that second NPC, naturally, fires a machine gun directly into his head.It makes you wonder if 'friendly fire accidents' are really accidents.Depending on your party size, you can spend a lot of time watching your allies gun each other down like post apocalyptic three stooges.
Those aside, the games are very detailed and can be played as quickly or as slowly as one wishes, with numerous subplots branching off the main plot.The first game does have a timer for the completion of the main task, but that can be extended during the game, and in fact the game goes on (sans timer) once that task is completed.Fallout 2 does away with that completely, allowing you effectively all the time you want to explore.So if you always wondered if how Mad Max would have done if he'd had more ammo for his shotgun and access to the occasional flamethrower, pick them up.

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Product Description:
The science-fiction role-playing games Fallout and Fallout 2 have been bundled together for the complete post-nuclear-war game experience. In Fallout you are dwelling in a self-sufficient fallout shelter called Vault-13, three generations removed from the apocalyptic war. When your shelter's water filter breaks down, you are sent out into the unknown wasteland to find a replacement filter or a new source of fresh water. The Fallout adventure unfolds as a gritty tale of discovery, paranoia, and survival. Mature gamers are in for a classic role-playing game that has earned a cult following just as loyal as the fans of the Mad Max movies that inspired it.
Fallout 2 takes place 80 years after the events in the original game. You are the Chosen One, a tribal ancestor of Fallout's vault dweller. Your tribe has built a modest settlement in an isolated corner of the futuristic Californian wasteland, but you must find a Garden of Eden Creation Kit to sustain the village. During your adventure, you'll encounter misfits and monsters ranging from gangsters to supermutants. Twice as many weapons are at your disposal, including the M72 Gauss Rifle, M3A1 "Grease Gun" SMG, Louisville Slugger, H&K CAWS, and the Solar Scorcher. In addition, you can give your character combat postures such as berserk, aggressive, defensive, or cowardly.
Parents should be aware that the games contain violence and some sexual situations. Though you can adjust the tone down a bit through the main control panel, developments that occur on the adult setting are integral to the story.

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Ys Seven Review

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(More customer reviews)As a huge fan of the Ys series who has played all the games chronologically, I can safely tell you that Ys Seven continues the amazing epic awesomeness of the series! The limited edition comes with a CD featuring music from Ys 7, an art book with amazing art from the three psp Ys games coming out, the game itself, and a cloth map! If you're not a Ys fan, you may find it odd that there is no "Ys" marked on the map... but this is only because you don't know the history x3 Ys is on there.
The game is a masterpiece thus far and although I haven't gotten to the end yet, I am close enough to say this game is well worth your money, even if you're not an Ys fan! I will be getting Ys (3): The Oath in Felghana as well as Ys I&II Chronicles, believe you me <3

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